Register and signal mechanism for vehicles.



F. A. WIELAND.

REGISTER AND SIGNAL MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED APR. 21. mi).

11 90.694. Patented J'uly 11, 1916.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

-f' F J "7? g F. A. WIELAND.

REGISTER AND SIGNAL MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21, 1915.

1,1 90,694. Patented July 11, 1916 A f gs 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- i .H I H L Witnesses.- M Q M 5 nu: Mamas PEN-2R5 co mmm-uma, .MAsMImtM/d. n c.

F. A. WIELAND.

REGISTER AND SIGNAL MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION mm APlLzl. m5.-

1,1 90,694. N Patented July 11, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK A. VVIELAND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

REGISTER AND SIGNAL MEGI'ZANISM FOR VEHICLES.

Application filed April 21, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnnonnijcn A. \Vnunnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of (look and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Register and Signal Mechanism for Vehicles, (Case 1,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to register and signal mechanism for vehicles, particularly automobiles, and broadly the object of my invention is to provide means for discouraging overspeeding of the vehicle and for making a registration each time the vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed limit.

The register mechanism forming a part of my invention is preferably inclosed in a casing which may be mounted at any place upon the vehicle, desirably at the rear end thereof, and is connected with one of the moving parts of the vehicle, for instance one of the wheels thereof through a flexible shaft or its equivalent In the present specification I shall describe a preferred embodiment of my invention, and it will be seen that this embodiment of my invention comprises in addition to the register mechanism visual and audible signals which are energized when the vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed limit, to notify the driver and likewise persons in the vicinity of the vehicle that the vehicle is overspeeding.

The means for making a. registration of the over-speeding of the vehicle comprises a suitable register and means for actuating said register when the vehicle with which the mechanism is associated exceeds a predetermined speed limit. Inasmuch as the register is primarily provided in order that the owner of the vehicle with which it is associated may know that inexcusable speeding of the vehicle has taken place, means is provided whereby, even though 0verspeeding of the vehicle does take place, the register mechanism is not advanced until the overspeeding continues for a predetermined distance, say, for instance, five hundred feet. This leeway permits the driver of the vehicle to speed up his machine for short distances in order to get out of jams in the street and get across railroad tracks, etc., without having the register show that he has over-speed- Specification of Letters Facent.

Patented July 11, 1916.

sci-m1 No. 22,893.

ed the machine. It is, of course, necessary for drivers of automobiles to speed up at times in order to ai oid accident, and the present invention takes care of this necessity.

The present embodiment of my invention is so arranged that the owner of the vehicle may adjust the mechanism so that the register 21K. signals will be actuated when the vehicle exceeds any one of a plurality of speeds. The register mechanism and the signaling devices, or some of them, are desirably contained within a casin g which may be locked to prevent unauthorized tampering with the mechanism by the driver of the vehicle.

The means whereby I attain the objects of my invention and the operation thereof is fully set forth in the following detail description, in which reference is made to the aceonuninying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the signaling and register casing with the cover removed, certain parts being illustrated in section to more clearly reveal. the construction; Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view taken on the broken line 2, 2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, certain parts being omitted in this figure for the sake of clearness; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3, 3 of Fig. l and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view, partly in section and partly in elevation, illustrating the register and its associated actuating mechanism; Fig. is a fragmentzn'y detail sectional view of the devices for controlling the actuation of the register, this view being taken on the line 5. 5 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken on the line 6, 6 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 7 is an isolated detail sectional view of the devices for actuating the register; Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the mechanism for imparting movement to the register; and Fig. 9 diagrammatically illustrates the several electrical connections which may be employed, when the embodiment of my invention hereinafter described is made use of.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views. Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have illustrated at 10 a register and signal trated in mv Patent filo. 137.822. issued Tia l. 1915. The flexible driving C(HHQC- tion connected in anv suitaole manner with a shatt 13 disposed behind the casing:

1. ano mounted in bearings supported by the casing. Tl shaft 13 1s PlOVlClGCl with i l a ierel gear 1! cooperating with a bevel Gear 13 mounted upon a shaft 16 evtending r; 'erselv trroueh the casing 10 and having suitable bearing iithe lateral walls of the cas ng. A i. housing 17 for the 2115 lll if is l in Fig. 1.

Disposed within the casing 10 and mounted in suitable bearings 15% and 19 a sign drum it) prelerablv substantially hexagonal in cros t i' 'iml and provided with a plu- 'alit v of sign plates 21. ll having numbers placed thereon to indicate the several speeds for which the mechanism may be adjusted. The angular position ot' the drum 20 is adjusted by turning a milled handle 22. and suitable means not illustrated is provided tor retainine' the drum 20 at anv desired position. The casing 10 is provided with a window or sight opening through which the sign plate corresponding to the selected speed is visible. Carried on the left-hand end of the drum 20 and insulated therefrom is the 2 1- provided with a pluralitv of radial arms 2 of unequal lengths. each arm correspomling' to one of the sign plates 20. The details of this mechanism are not illustrated in the present applicat-i ai inasmuch as these features are illustrated in my patent above referred to. The ring: 2-1 is illustrated in more detail in the diagrammatic representation of the circuit shown in Fig. 9. For the purposes of the present appluation it will suliice to sav that the longest one of the arms 25 come sponds to the s' 'i plate of smallest number and that the shortest arm corresponds to the shin plate of highest number. and that the remaining! arms corresptnul to the plates o? intervening numbers. Disposed within the drum 2 7 are suitable lectiric lamps illu.; trated a Q6 and 2? in Fi e. f these lamps being preterablv o'l di'lierent colors, as tor instance. red and blue. respectivelv. The means for mounting; the electric lamps within the drum is illustrated in my patent above referred to. and it is theretore unessential that the mounting of the lamps be illustrated in detail in plication.

Supported bv the bracket t1 and one ol the wall. ot the casing: 10 is a bar which serves as a track tor a carriu :3 carrvia yielding contact element 30. priue m,. s

arm l to the pi is associated with the contact one (it the arms ot the ill; c"

* iried r by the drum 2").

the carriage 25) is 1 arm 20 i a forked end 9" embracing a collar 3L movable loneitud. o't tl e shaft 16. but

l heved against rotation independently there of. A. sprm disposed arounl i 16 normallv tends to l old ti e coll the position illustrated in the drawings,

the collar 32 connected bv links l'l- Witll I l turn i governor balls ll". connected in v arms 3:") pivoted to a had 1h; tired upon the aft 1.6. It will be seen that when the shatt 16 is rotated. the governor balls ll. living outwardlv. will more the she against the action ot its associated spii an amount proportional to the speed or Lac vehicle rith which the mechanism associated.

The several parts of my improved mechanism thus far described are not materially dili'erent from the mechanism illustrated in my patent previouslv referred to. and theretore I believe that the foregoing dmicription ot the same will suliice tor the purposes o'l' this appli ation. It will be sullicient to say that when the contact device 30 comes into one of the arms 5 carried by conta twin the drum 20. electrical circuit connections are established. which serve in part to accomplish the objects of my present invention. The circuit arrangement and opeia tion of the several parts will more tally hereinatter appear.

is is most clearly illustrated in l ies. l and (3. the shaft 16 is provided with a pinion 3T meshing with a gear 38 supported bv the casing 10. and the near 38 in turn meshes with a gear fixed relatively to a shaft 1 0 provided with screw threads lit. as is most cl arl v illustrated in Fig. 4-. The shatt to at its ett end 4) is supported bv the casing 10. and the right end of said sha'l't ll) bears in the adjacent end ot a rod ii. the other end of which tixed to the a o ill. Disposed upon the shatt t0 and normally bearing against a dish -.l-lcarried by the spur gear 39 is a sleeve to having an arm l formed integral therewith. he end of the arm to opposite the "leeve l5 conformed to n is 47 may turn independently of the arm 46. The sleeve 45 is adapted to travel longitudinally of the shaft 40 from left to right (Figs. 2 and 4) until a projection 48 carried by the arm 46 abuts against a strip 49 carried by the adjacent end of the casing 10. A rod 50, supported at one end by the casing 10, extends freely through an aperture in the arm 46, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. (3, and disposed around the rod 50 is a helical spring 51 which normally tends to retain the sleeve 45 and its arm 46 in the positions illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

Pivoted to the arm 46 of the sleeve 45 is a lever 47, the inner end of which is threaded on its under surface, as is most clearly illustrated at 48" in Fig. 5. A coiled spring 49 normally tends to hold the threaded end 48 of the lever 47 out of engagement with its adjacent screw-threaded shaft 40 and the other end of said lever in engagement with the flattened side of the oscillatory rod 47 previously referred to. It will be seen by referring to Fig. 5 that if the oscillatory rod 47 be turned through an angle of a few degrees, the lever 47 will be operated to brin the threaded end 48 thereof into engagement with the threads of the shaft 40, and that, therefore, the lever 47 and parts connected thereto will, if the shaft 40 be rotating in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 5, travellongitudinally of said shaft. The shaft 40, due to its geared connection with the shaft 16, rotates whenever the vehicle with which the improved mechanism of my invention is associated is in motion.

Pivoted to one end of the casing 10 is a lever 53, the long arm of which is normally held in engagement with a stop 54 by an associated spring 55, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. The free end of the long arm of the lever 53 extends upwardly into the path of the arm 46 of the sleeve 45 so that the lever will be operated when the arm 46 travels from left to right (Fig. 2) across the shaft 40. The shorter arm of the pivoted lever is connected by a link 56 with an arm 57 adapted to operate a register 59 of any suitable construction. The register is preferably disposed within the casing 10, as is illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and its indications are ascertainable through an aperature in the casing.

In Fig. 8 I have illustrated somewhat diagrammatically the connection between the operating arm 57 and the units order set of the indicating register. Fixed with respect to the units order set of the register is an internal ratchet gear 58, and fixed with respect to the operating arm 57 is an arm 60 having pivoted thereto a pawl 61 held in engagement with the internal teeth of the ratchet 58 by a spring 62. It will be seen that before operation of the lever 53 will affect the register 59, the lever 53 must be moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 4 in order to per mit the pawl 61 to snap over one tooth of the internal ratchet gear 58. lVhen the lever 58 is moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 4 and released, its associated spring 55 returns it to normal position against its as sociated stop 54, and owing to the fact that the pawl 61 is snapped over one tooth of the. internal ratchet gear, the register is ad vanced one step. Any operation of the lever 53 insuflicient to carry the pawl 61 past one tooth of the internal ratchet gear will not result in actuation of the register 59,

lllounted within the casing 10 is an electromagnet 63 most clearly illustrated in F 4, and this electromagnet is provided with a pivoted armature (34 carrying an arm 65 adapted when the armature is attracted to move a switch contact 66 out of engagement with a contact 57 and into engagement with a contact 68. The circuit arrangement will be hereinafter described in detail. but it will sufliceto say at this point that when the vehicle with which my mechanism is associated exceeds a predetermined speed, the armature (34 is attracted, thereby operating the switch contacts to cause operation of the electrically operated visible and audible signals. The armature 6-1 is also provided with an elongated arm (39, having pivoted to its upper end a link 70 connected to a crank arm 71 fixed upon the rod 47. It will be seen, therefore, that when the electroinagnet 63 is actuated, due to over-speeding of the associated vehicle, the shaft 47 is oscillated through an angle of a few degrees due to the connection between said shaft and the armature 64. lVhen the shaft 47 is thus oscillated, the shorter arm of the pivoted lever 47 is elevated, bringing the threaded end 48 thereof into engagement "with the shaft 40, which shaft, as has previously been explained, is so connected as to rotate at a speed proportional to the speed of the vehicle. \Vhen the threaded. end 48 of the lever 47' is brought into mesh with the threads 41 of the sleeve 40, the a rm 4(3 of the sleeve 45 is carried from left to right (F 2 and and the arm 45 abutting against the longer arm of the lever carries the same with it against the action of the spring associated with the lever The several gear ratios are such that the vehicle must travel approximately five hundred feet before the lever 53 is carried to the position indicated in Fig. 4. lVhen the sleeve 45, arm 45 and associated parts reach the positions indicated in Fig. 4, the projection 48 carried by the arm 46 abuts against its stop 49, and the several parts remain in this position until the electroniagnet 63 is deL nergized, whereupon the arm 47 assumes its normal position and the spring 51 carries the arm 46 and parts fixed relatively thereto to the pos tions illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 ot the drawings. The arm CE, is at th s time returned to its initial position liv its associated spring 55 and as it is returned to initial poj tion iin )arts movement to the ister fil Referring to tl e ciag'raininatic representation of the circuit in will he tha current is norinalljv .iplied to the lamp ill within the drum if) U) liecp tl lighted. lfhen the machine e determined speed limit for w anisin is set the contact device 30 carried the head "*9 eneae'es one of the arms )3 ol' the ring hjv the drum ill. and the electroinaenet 3 3 is en r 'iiied through a circuit that may he readil,

some time an electric ell i zit This well T7 has not, been iiiustratcd in the other i arcs of the dra ine; l L' r l he 'e tated that this ll either within the casin an v eonveiient point. 7 have the hell sh located l the associatz vehicle (a-i ot the circuit therefor. linere'izat elei-rroni; gnet 5) acluates its arinzcture a i 0 starting the operation of war; tine; devices as has hereednio es the itch coniaL tl re d l'i yer "a nper v 1 .ud in additi the register o i toiore heen explaii t act (i l from engra 'ienient with hie contact i and into enc'a enien with the contact l t .e circuit 'n: lamp ir the circuit ot the larnp there rv dei ne eneri T. manning: i liliii 'ii' e2;- hi uted through the window n l e casing 10 and iiil lTllil a visual SlQ'iiill mat the vehicle is over-speeding. To in l icjs. (3 and 9 a Fowl war rellector provided with a lamp v 4 much as the casing" i is disposed at tie rear end of an associatcd ehicle. itveuientlv disposed ier the lie )v c plate of the vehicle so that the lamp ii will throw its ravs downwardlv upon the license is connected in nuinl-er plate. The lamp Ti circuit as illustrated in Fig.

from the foregoing description it will he seen that l have provided ineans wherehv a register is actuated whenever the vehicle with which nrv improved mechanism is assoi-iated eXceeds a prialeterinincd speed limit tor a predetermined distance in addition to ai'lordine' visual and audihle signals when the vehicle over-speeds.

The hcrcindescri ed enihodinient of my in 'en'iion diil'ers e sentiallv "from the. appa ratus desrrihed and claimed in 1 Patent No. 1.131. 22. issued Ma), 3 19,15, in that the register is operated when the vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed for a predetermined distance.

fv'hat 3 claim as new and desire to secure hv Letters Jatent of the lfnited States is:

1. lilechanisni of the class described coinsociated vehicle exceeds a predetermined :L'liilDlSlli oi the class described coinin combination, a register, actuat- Jiees for said register inains for Y said actuating: devices from a niov- @sociated vehicle, said actuating devices adapted when placed in driv'ng rel 1e register to CilQCiL the 1 er the vehicle has troniaginetieall v controlled devices for placinc" said actuating devices in driving relation to the register when the associated ve hicle exceeds a ore leternnned sp ed.

0. iilcchauisni ol the class descrihed coini in conihination. a irejister actuatices to! said register arrangei'i to he ven from a movable element at an assoand adapted when placed in 1 d ciatcd vehicle 'el: tion to the register, to ellert the i tlieicot when tire vehicle travels ternnned distance atter said relahlished, and means operahle hv r when the vehicle exceeds a prede- V ed. when placed in i 1 ee iter. to eilect the ti lr the vehicle travels a LL'G lQt' a: zed distance atter said relation is cstahlis d. and electi-oinagynetic mechanism controlled from a movable element of the associated vehicle adapted to place said actnatiie devices in driving relation to the reeiter .when the vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed.

T. The coinhination with a vehicle, of a 1eQis'e-r, and means controlled l a movable element of the vehicle to actuating said reg lei when the vehicle exceeds a predeterniiied speed for a predetermined distance.

ment has been inparted to the actuating devices, and means for establishing said driving relation when the vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed.

7. Mechanism of the class described comprising in combination a register, a screw threaded shaft driven from a movable part of an associated vehicle, means for operating said register provided with a threaded portion adapted to cooperate with said screw threaded shaft but normally out of engagement therewith, said register operating means adapted to actuate the register when the said register operating means has been moved to a pre-detcrmined position along said screw threaded shaft and re leased, together with means operated from the associated vehicle arranged to effect the engagement of the register operating means with the screw threaded shaft when the vehicle exceeds a pre-determined speed and to permit the release of the register operating means from the screw threaded shaft when the rate of travel of the vehicle again falls below said pro-determined speed.

8. Mechanism of the class described comprising in combination a register, operating means therefor adapted to effect the operation of the register when said operating mechanism has been moved to a certain position and released, together with means operated from a movable portion of an associated vehicle arranged to move said register operating mechanism toward the aforesaid position whenever the vehicle exceeds a pro-determined speed whereby said register is operated when, and only when, the vehicle has exceeded such predetermined speed for a substantial distance.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 9th day of April, A. D. 1915.

FREDERICK A. WIELAND.

lVitnesses:

A. G. MCCALEB, H. A. NEIBURGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

